BA Economics

Program Overview

The BA in Economics at UC Berkeley delivers a blend of rigorous economic theory, applied analysis, and flexible electives—enabling you to explore diverse interests like policy, finance, or social impact. This major suits students who value a strong analytical foundation but also want freedom to combine their studies with other majors, minors, or real-world experiences.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1
You’ll start with ECON 1 or 2, which introduces core micro- and macroeconomic principles (supply/demand, consumer behavior, GDP, inflation). At the same time, you’ll take math and stats prerequisites—MATH 1A/B and STAT 20/21—to build the quantitative skills essential for later courses.

Year 2
This year centers around intermediate economics: ECON 100A or 101A (Microeconomics), ECON 100B or 101B (Macroeconomics), and ECON 140 or 141 (Econometrics). These courses deepen your theoretical understanding, introduce formal mathematical modeling, and train you in empirical tools like regression and data analysis.

Year 3
Time to explore upper-division electives across applied fields. You might dive into C102 Environmental Economics, C110 Game Theory, 121 Industrial Organization, or C142 Applied Econometrics and Public Policy. These classes marry rigorous theory with real-world issues—from climate change and competition to policy evaluation.

Year 4
Wrap up with your remaining five upper-division electives (must be within Econ, with up to two cross-department options). Choose courses aligned with your interests—think Natural Resource Economics, Financial & Behavioral Economics, or Asset Pricing. Honours-level students can also produce an independent thesis through ECON H195A/B.

Focus Areas

• Micro & macroeconomic theory

• Econometrics & quantitative methods

• Applied economics: environmental, industrial organization, game theory, public policy

Learning Outcomes

You’ll emerge able to: construct and analyze economic models; apply econometric tools to real data; evaluate public policy and market behavior using rigorous frameworks; and integrate theory with empirical evidence in independent research or applied settings.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation)

This BA is officially classified as a STEM degree, making it eligible for extended OPT for international students. It’s also fully accredited through UC Berkeley’s regional accreditation, meeting rigorous academic standards.

Reputation (Employability Rankings)

UC Berkeley’s Economics department is consistently ranked among the top 5 undergraduate programs worldwide. Graduates command excellent professional outcomes—median starting salaries hover around $80K—and find success in consulting, finance, public policy, tech, and top-tier graduate programs.